Alberta M. Dredla

Dredla, Alberta M.
Died at her home in Los Angeles, California, Thursday, September 11th at age 98. She was born August 23rd, 1905 in Crete, Nebraska, the daughter of Emma and Edward Dredla. Her sister was Mrs. Bernice C. Sanderson. All are buried in the family plot at Rose Hills Memorial Park, in Whittier, California. Her services were held at the Rose Hills Mortuary Chapel on September 19, 2003. The service was conducted by Steve Rasmussen, of Santa Fe New Mexico A graduate of Crete High School in 1922, Alberta completed high school in three years. She would then graduate from Doane College in 1926. Miss Dredla taught at various schools in Nebraska until moving to California in 1939 and obtained a State Teaching Credential. While in Nebraska she taught in Chester, Benedict, Odell, Hebron and Crete. She moved to California with her mother, Emma, and sister, Bernice. She would teach with her sister for many years. She first taught in Blythe, then night school in Montebello, Lafayette Junior High School, and later in Huntington Park at Huntington Park High School, California before retiring in 1971. She touched the lives of more than 14,000 students in her 45 years of teaching. Alberta's awards for professional and volunteer service were numerous and include: Honorary Life Membership in the California Parent Teachers Association, the Apple of Gold from the Teachers Remembrance Day Foundation, the California Senate and Assembly Service Awards, and awards from the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Alberta was also listed in Who's Who in American Women and Who's Who in the West. Alberta served on the Board of Directors for Grey Gables and Residence for Retired Teachers. She served a four-year term as the National Retired Teachers Association Assistant State Director for California. She had also been: President of Los Angeles High School Teachers Association; a member of the California Teachers Association State Legislative Committee; representative for the Los Angeles high school teachers on the District Retirement Board and President of the Huntington Park Division of the California Retired Teachers Association (CRTA). Alberta received the Builder's Award from Doane College in 1988 and the Doane Trustees Award for Distinguished Services in 1989. She was then awarded an honorary doctor of Humane Letters by Doane College in 1999. Alberta had also served the Huntington Park Salvation Army as the Board President and Secretary, Soroptimist Club member and President, California Federation of Women's Clubs and the Huntington Park Coordinating Council. She served as the scholarship Chairman of the Woman's Club of Huntington Park. She was also a member of the Hannah Busrod Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She was a 52-year member and served as regent four times. An avid writer, Alberta wrote and published numerous poetry collections. Three of her poems appear in the Congressional record. Her published writings include Workbook for the Development of Personality and Social and Family Relations and her poems have been published in magazines, newspapers and anthologies; she wrote a fiftieth-anniversary poem honoring Delta Kappa Gamma and three books of Christmas poems have been published by the Salvation Army Huntington Park Corps Advisory Board and by Doane College. She was a member of the Chaparral Poets of Los Angeles. She was also a member of the Ladera Heights Presbyterian Church Community Club in Los Angeles. Alberta and her sister, Bernice, have made it possible for literally hundreds of aspiring students to complete their education at Doane College and the Kate Duncan Smith DAR School in Grant, Alabama. When she received her honorary degree from Doane she said, "My greatest joy has been to see young people make a success of their lives….I have witnessed a moving exhibit of lives and their cultures and experiences through students and others I have known through the years, for which I am grateful." Memorials can be sent to: Doane College, 1014 Boswell Avenue, Crete Nebraska; Kate Duncan Smith DAR Sc1010